Address of Board of fame 
| ae oF the. Tresbyfor: ee 


Library of the 
University of North Carolina 


Endowed by the Dialectic and Philan- 


thropic Societies 


ADDRESS 


OF THE 


BOARD OF AGENCY 


AY OF THE 
\ \ ‘ 


PRESBYTERY OF ORANGE, N. CAROLINA, 


\ 


IN BEHALF OF 


alt Insaueurrom 


FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH: 


\ WHICH IT IS PROPOSED 
| | TO ERECT IN OR 
NEAR GREENSBOROUGH, 


IN THE COUNTY OF GUILFORD. 


CHAPEL HILL, 


PRINTED BY ISAAC C. PATRIBDGE, 


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i: ADDBBSS. 


—SLap— 


To the Friends of Christian Education. 


THE relations you sustain as parents, guardians and patriotic 
eitizens, will, we trust, secure your earnest and dispassionate attention 
to the views and arguments embraced in the following Circular. It 
consists of facts and observations, demonstrating the indispensable ne- 
cessity of an improved system of education. 

The main object of every good system of Education it will be con- 
eeded by all, is the thorough qualification of youth for the faithful dis- 


charge of the relative duties of life. Any system which aims at less, or ~ 


limits its attention to only a part of these duties, is radically defective. 
Practical evidence of this will be afforded daily in the lives of those 
whose instruction has thus been neglected, to the poignant distress of 


_ the individual, and the loss to society of uncultivated talent. Even 


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% sink within us as we behold them lost by the way or surpassed by men 


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collegiate credentials and literary distinctions will be inadequate to 
supply the want of unfinished, ill directed or misimproved studies, 
when the young man assumes his station in active life. The expecta- 
tions of parents and friends, the necessity of his circumstances, the 
natural ardour of youth, ail will soon concentrate his attention en the 
study of some learned profession, or the pursuit of some civil avoca- 
tion: While the busy scenes of life with its incidental anxieties will 
engross all the time and attention which he has at his command. Un- 
less then he has laid a good foundation in the golden period of life, the 
probability is great, that the deficiencies in his e ucation will never be 
supplied. How many young men do we see who thus set out in life 
with brilliant hopes glowing in their bosoms, animated by the fond 
anticipations of relatives and friends, and their cheering predictions of 
future eminence and usefulness—But when we follow them for a few 
years, and witness their bearing ander the rude shock of competition, 
or see them grapple with the details of practical business, our hearts 


whom we know to be in general far inferior to them in intellectual 
power. Whence we are led to inquire the reason of this painful re- 


_ sult? Upon investigation we ascertain that our young friend has left 


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rs _» some important branch of education unfinished or superficially studied: felt 
- ‘Or there are traits of character or habits arising from his principles, i 


temper or disposition which prove that the heart rather than the head 

~ constitutes the obstacle to his eminence and usefulness. ve 
We would, therefore, lay down as a fundamental principle, the eee 
tion, that any system of instruction, which does not contemplate the im- 


provement of the heart, as well as the cultivation of the mind, is inade- 
quate to attain all the ends of a good education. There is no necessary 


connexion between science and virtue, as the history of the world can 
attest: And unless the seeds of virtue be sown, as weil as those of know- 
ledge, it is perfectly vain to look for their spontaneous spring or deve- 
lopement in the youthful heart. Talents unsanctified, although con- 
joined with the loftiest intellect, promise no blessing, but rather a 
curse to all within the circle of their influence. The richest endow- 
ments of a beneficent Creator have in hundreds of instances been per- 
verted by pride and unhallowed ambition to the impious and ungrate- 
ful attempt to dim the ineffable glories of God, and to blast the happi- 
ness of mankind by opposing the progress of benevolence and virtue! 
Here it is evident beyond a doubt, that the education of such a man 
has been wofully neglected. And such will, we believe, ever be the 
natural tendency, so long as unregenerate youth, even under the super- 
intendence of Christian instructors of unquestionable piety, have their 
minds directed solely to literary and scientific studies. 

The Professors of a College take it for granted that the youthful 
inind has been early imbued with the elements of religious knowledge 


in the nursery and preparatory schools. They stand ready to lead the — 


tyro further into the recesses of the temple of Science. But generally 
speaking the religious foundation has never yet been laid. The study 
of Mathematics and Philosophy, the Classics and polite literature (all 


preliminary qualifications to worldly eminence) are the principal stu- 


dies of a College course. The history of heathen gods and goddesses 
is pondered over and mastered by a pupil, who knows nothing + carce- 
ly of the true God or of Jesus Christ whom he has sent, although to 
know them aright is elernal life! Not to know them, is to live without 
God and without hope in the world. The important principle “Know 
thyself,” is, strictly speaking, equally neglected. Instead of storing 
the retentive memory with the simple and sublime truths, which 
would cause the young to “remember their Creator in the days of their 
youth.” God is not set before them in such studies, or at least searce- 
ly ever, in such a way as to interest their attention or engage their af- 
fections, Prone at all times naturally to love the world, their imagi- 


nations and affections are suffered to run out inordinately after the, 


3 


vanities and allurements, which will infallibly end in the bitterest dis- _ 
appointment. Secular aggrandizement is held up before their eyes as 
the prize of excellence, and the chief and greatest good of man, di- 
rectly in the face of the question ‘“‘What shall it profit a man, if he 
should gain the whole world and lose his own soul!” Ifa youth, thus 
half taught, on his entrance into life, escapes from the dangers and 
vices which beset him on every side, it will be by sovereign grace that 
his feet are saved from falling into death, his soul preserved from ruin! 
The restless desire of happiness will urge him on from one scene of 
as te - untried worldly enjoyment to another, and all are dressed in the most 
alluring guise, to his young imagination and weak judgment. What 
¢ is shope can his more enlightened friends have, that his frail bark shall 
Peo “escape shipwreck, amid the breakers of life’s perilous ocean, or will 
| not be dashed to pieces against the half concealed rocks in his course, 
Sor jost forever in the quicksands of the grossest vices? 
“Among the perils to which the youthful student is exposed during . 
& his college life, may be enumerated, 1. The danger of corruption by 
we the studies of his classical course. So thoroughly convinced are we of 
7: the pernicious effects uf many standard classical authors not expurga- 
‘al ie ted, that we would hail their extinction with joy rather than see them stu- 
Rs, sep died as they noware. It is absurd to expect that the mind will not be 
contaminated by the fouland disgusting details of heathen mythology, 
and by the licentious narratives and corrupt sentiments of many pro- 


2 fane writers. ‘The very process of decyphering, word by word, an 
f ' impure allusion of a. Latin or Greek author, in order to evolve its 
Pe * meaning, is one of the most powerful methods of impressing it on the 
mind. Nor can any Christian instructor palliate the turpitude of such 
___ passages. His explanations merely serve to gild the insidious poison 


and give it asecurer Jodgment in the carnal heart. 

Another perii in this crisis of life is the kind of general reading to 
[ which the student has access. The imagination and memory are now 
a _ the prominent faculties of the mind. They therefore select its food, 
# and like the food of the body it will produce a healthful nutriment or 
: baneful influence according as it is selected and digested. If the 
i youthful mind be disciplined by a judicious course of reading, the men- 
tal constitution will be invigorated and receive a bias to wisdom and | 
refinement. If novels, impure poetry, trashy productions, or curious 
BH and idle speculations engross the time, another liceniious coxcomb 
__ will be palmed upon society. But besides these there are many books 

easy of access which abound with the most pernicious errors; and 
others valuable in the main, but interspersed here and there with false 

conclusions the more insidious and dangerous on account of their con- 


6 ) 


taining many useful truths. It is, hence, a thing of constant occure 


rence, that many graduates of a good Institution have to employ often 


much time in unlearning errors they have insensibly imbibed during 
their collegiate course. We therefore express it as our deliberate 


conviction that the course of general reading from the Libraries of an — 


institution ought to be specially pointed out, and a paternal supervi- 
sion exercised over those engaged in pursuing that course. 

Again auother source of peril arises from the influence of association 
(for association necessarily implies influence) with corrupt and badly 
trained youth. The immense power this circumstance exerts in mould-. 
ing the character of the young itis almost impossible to estimate. It 
is faintly shadowed forth in the aphorism, ‘Tell me with whom you 


£0, and I will tell you what you do.” The pleasures of friendship are, 


the most congenial emotions, which, at this time, play around the 
youthful heart. The selection of his friends, to a young man, will 
then be of momentous importance. He will form an alliance with 
young men who “think of and do whatsoever things are true, honest, 
just, pure, lovely and of good report,” and thus be rendered amiable, 
wise and useful. Or he will choose for his friends young men of idle 
and corrupt habits. His external conduct will be dissraced by pro- 
faneness, gaming, intemperance, dissipation and bullying. While his 
heart is the seat of guile, malice, envy, ambition, pride, just; and 
worse than all, znfidelity enthroned in the midst, waves its baleful scep- 
tre over the infant empire of dark passions and malignant vices. The 
above is no fancy sketch but a faithful representation of the perils to 


which youth are liable at almost every public Literary institution in 


our country. What parent does not tremble for the early moral prin- 
ciples of his children, exposed as they must be to such great and man- 
ifold temptations, as soon as they leave the parental roof, even with 
the laudable design of obtaining a good education? 

It may be urged by some, that their sons are no more exposed than 
those of others to the perils of a collegiate course at a public semina- 
ry. Its granted—and this aggravates the danger—for there is not 
enly action but reaction. But even conceding that their sons are bet- 
ter than those of others as to morals, does this blot out the truths of 


the word of God? “Ye must be born again.” ‘Except ye repent ye 


shall all likewise perish.” ‘Remember now thy Creator, in the days 
ef thy youth.” “Get wisdom”—“The fear of the Lord is the begin- 
ning of wisdom.” Uf these truths are to have their proper weight, 


ihe conclusion is irresistible, that the beginning of every correct sys- 


tem of education will be the instruction of youth in thezr relative re- 


gious duties. But we may again be met, by the inquiry, “Doesit 


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not require ordinarily the mest powerful minds to comprehend those 
relative duties? We reply, ‘It does not,” and in proof of our position 
‘adduce the Holy scriptures and experience. The plan of salvation is 
distinguished by great simplicity, so that “he that runs may read:” 
and to the docility of children in early youth, the most precious prom- 
ises are annexed. Undeniable facts also demonstrate, that the elemen- 
tary instruction of youth in our Sabbath Schools in the pure, simple 
_ truths of ihe Gospel, results in the conversion of thousands of them 
every year. If there be any difficulty of comprehension, it arises 
mainly from this, that the critical period of religious instruction has 
been overlooked or neglected, the heart has been filled with the world 
and its maxims, and the strong man armed has usurped the throne of 
the affections, and will not be dislodged, except by a stronger power. 
The cardinal duties of religion ‘‘love to God and love to man,” can 
‘ be easily understocd and practised by youth. In proof of this we 
A; _ may adduce examples in youth (of both sexes,) not yet discharged 
o. _ from scholastic discipline, who do understand these relative duties and 
{ fulfil them ina manner lovely and exemplary. It is not the want of sci-. 
r y entific knowledge that prevents all others from being, in like manner, 
children of God, but the carnal opposition of their hearts, the wrong 
Re bias of their wills, and the tendency of the habit of repugnance to 
| . truth, to harden the heart. On the other hand, the dacility of youth, 
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their amiable pliancy, their unaffected humility, the tenderness of their 
affections, the clearness of their minds, (unclouded by violent pas- 
sions, unaccustomed to wilful self-deception unsophisticated by subtle 
falsehoods, above all uncorrupted by vice and unfettered by habit,} 
> ie present a series of circumstances most favourable to religious suscep- 
be ubility. This is emphatically the auspicious peviod, and this neglect- 


pri ed or lost the consequences may be inconceivably dangerous and eter- 
* nally ruinous! 


a We further maintain that the best interest of society call loudly for 
" such a reform in the systems of education as shall insure the more 
ae thorough religious instruction of youth. Literary men always com- 
‘mand the homage of the majority of their fellow citizens. If they 
are infidel or profligate their example must exert a_ pernicious influ- 
ence on suciety. As to the youth themselves ignorance of the Bible, 
or unbelief of its tenets is found invariably to be the first step ina li- 
centious, immoral and degrading course of life. Thus we perceive 
that without the religious education of youth, there is no well-found- 
edhope of their being distinguished cither by purity of mind or sta-. 
‘bility of character. This leads us irresistibly to the conclusion thai 
et the study of the plain, pure and practical truths of the Bible has been 


wdost injudiciously overlooked or neglected, in the ordinary systems — 
of education. Truth is the grand aim of every one who aspires to 
the possession of a well cultivated intellect. A Book then which has 
God for its author—sublime beyond all human wtitings, a most authen- 
tic history extending over a period of 4000 years—a complete rule of a 
faith and practice—and lastly the only guide to eternal salvation, ought = 
surely to be the most intensely interesting of alJ studies! But strange 
as it may seem, so much, at present, is this most important branch of 
study neglected, that ic would appear that Christian parents and guar- 
dians acted uncer the impression, that if the youthful mind were im- ‘i 
bued with scientific learning, the principles of religion would in some tN Mi 
extraordinary way be superadcedas a thing of course. But the Holy i 
Scriptures themselves, sustained by facts of daily occurrence, warn= 
all men that the strait gate is found by few, while thousands throng 
each other in the broad road to destruction. Religion will never come 
without effort. “Train up a childin the way he should go, and when bce” 
he is old, he will not depart fromit.” We have no hesitation, there- ~ ca 
fore, in concluding, that the elementary principles of sound religious  ~ 
education are the only solid foundation stone of all true greatness, last- _ 
ing reputation, efficient usefulness, and real happiness in the world. den 
In many parts of our country the public attention has been directed — % 
to the necessity of combining with the ordinary system of education, — 
:, regular course of bodily exercise. That a proper cultivation of the 
physical powers of man by well regulated exertion is essential to their 
fall developement, none we presume will deny. That this develope- 
ment is necessary to robust health, from the mutual sympathy and 
dependence of mind and body, is equally true, though not so generally — 
known. Yet facts and observations multiply, daily, in support of the 
important position, that every system of education is defective, which . 
does not include, with a practical reference, the whole range of men- 
tal and physical discipline. The virtuous and wise only can be really 
great or truly useful. And the healthy and vigorous only can be use- 
ful long. A sound mind cannot exist long, in iis clear and energetic 
exercise in a delicate and enfeebled body. The very exertions of such 
a spirit will soon shatter and destroy the earthy mould which sur- 
rounds it. Suchpersons, therefore, we perceive, speedily after their 
entrance upon the important duties of life are compelled to suspend _ 
all exertion for long intervals or perhaps for life; or, with melancholy 
self-immolation, persistin their office, and go. down, declining gradual- 
ly, throgh a routine of painful efforts, to an untimely grave. 
Finally, we are actuated by another consideration of the necessity — ” it 
of the proposed institution, w hich must strike the minds of all who - 
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a have carefully observed the state of educationin North Carolina for 
» | many years. Itis a fact well known and which cannot fail to excite 
general regret, that the present expenses at literary institutions, ex- 
_ elude virtually great numbers of young men, whose moral and mental 
PP, qualities render them eminently worthy of patronage. Promising as 
their early indications of talent may be, the path to useful and lauda- 
ple distinction is closed to hundreds of youth by the high scale of ex- 
ei penses in our public schools. Itis, hence, @ prominent object, in 
founding and locating such an Institution, so to diminish its expenses, 
(Board, Tuition and other incidental expenses) as that parents may 
secure for their children, and industrious youth attain for themselves, 
at a moderate expense, all the advantages ofa sound, thorough, prac- 
tical education. 
The extensive moral influence of schools established on the plan 
contemplated, would be incaleulably beneficial. They would power- 
fully affect the interests of the rising generation, the civil and domes- 
* tic relations of life, the state of the church and the world. What might 
not our country have a right to expect from her young men, returned 
to the bosoms of their parents and friends, thus thoroughly educated 
in virtue and knowledge? What a field of usefulness and true glory 
. ' would be opened to these vigorous and intelligent youth, for dissem- 
inating sound learning and good examples? How eminently blest 
would be that state which could number many such men in her com- 
monwealth? 
_ The Presbytery of Orange having at its late session passed a reso- 
lution to establish an institution, (which shall be conformed to the 
principles contained in this address.) and determined its location at or 
near the town of Greenshorough, Guilford county, N. C, appoint- 
edthe undersigned a Board of Agency. to promote, as far as practica- 
ble, this desirable object. 'The Board met and after mature delibera- 
tion, suggest the following outlines* of a plan of such an Institution, 
} as to them appears tv accord with the views of Presbytery, which they 
. proceed forthwith respectfully to lay before that body and the public. 
Ist. The BIBLE, with the evidences of christianity, shall form an 
indispensable part of the systein of instruction, in this Institution. 
2d. That provision shall he made for the regular performance of 
pastoral duties and cevotional exercises, as wellas for a diligent at- 
tention to the morals of the pupils under the care of the Institution. 
3d. That none other than expurgated editions of the Classics shal! 
be studied; and a parental supervision shall be exercised in regard to 
the books for the general reading of the students. - 


‘ Hs Pa: * The detaits of the above plan will be hereafter presented to the public. 


10 


4th. That a manual labour department* shall be attached to the 
Institution on principles of convenience and utility, as shall accord with 


_ the views of Presbytery and those of an enlightened public. ms 

5th. That the expenses for Board, Tuition, and other contingent fees 
shall be so reduced, as to place the attainment of a good education 
’ within the reach of young men of moderate circumstances. 


In closing this address to the public, we conceive that justice to oth- 


ers, as well as ourselves, requires the explicit avowal, that the general 
strictures we have hazarded on the existing modes of instructing 
youth, were, we believed. imperiously demanded by the wants of the 
age. These strictures are aimed at systems of education, not at any man 


or set of men. Of their truth and justness, an enlightened christian pub- 


lic must decide. We frankly admit that perfection is not to be expec- 
ted in any human institution. But that the present state of our litera- 
ry Institutions is radically and essentially bad, we are thoroughly con- 
’ yvyinced. Some of their defects we have alluded to, but there are oth- 
ers the insertion of which would be precluded by the limits of this ad- 
dress. We appeal to the enlightened candour and experience of every 


christian and patriot, as to the truth and importance of the views we 
have presented, and the highly beneficial results, which may be expec- — 


ted to follow the adoption of the system we have respectfully sugges- 
ted. Relying on the assistance of God, and conscious of the purity 
of our motives, we cheerfully submit the model of this great enter- 
prise to the liberality and piety of a discerning public, and earnestly 
solicit their aid and co-operation. Se 
Signed, eee SAML. L. GRAHAM, 
ALEX. WILSON, 
DANIEL L. RUSSELL, . 
WILLIAM NEIL, 
E. W. CARUTHERS, 
WM. A. SHAW. 


*We think it important to observe that itis not the design of the Presbytery to sus- 
pend the existence of the proposed Institution on the failure or success uf the manual 
labour department. This department is intended merely as an appendage to the Insti- 
tution, which may be either continued or dispensed with, as experience shall decide. 
Nor will its operation materially affect the accomplishment of any ie the pbjedts speriiee 
in this address. 


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UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL 


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NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 


. A-368, Rev. 8/95 


